Re: [libreplanet-discuss] helping newcomers start blogs - but where?

[Daniel Pocock]

On 17/08/17 20:57, Thadeu Lima de Souza Cascardo wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 08:24:34PM +0200, Daniel Pocock wrote:
>> On 17/08/17 20:17, Thadeu Lima de Souza Cascardo wrote:
>>> On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 07:52:51PM +0200, Daniel Pocock wrote:
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> blogger.com and wordpress are well known platforms for people to create
>>>> free blogs.  Github pages have also become popular with developers 
>>>> recently.
>>>>
>>>> What are the recommended alternatives for people who want to adhere to a
>>>> more free / libre approach?
>>>>
>>>> In particular, I'm looking for solutions I can recommend to students
>>>> getting into Outreachy and GSoC.  They often have a lot of things to
>>>> think about at the start of their project and need to start blogging
>>>> quite quickly.
>>>>
>>>> For now, I'm tempted to recommend github pages with Jekyll static
>>>> content generation because at least the git repository (and full
>>>> history) behind these sites can be easily migrated to any other hosting
>>>> platform.  Are there other alternatives people recommend?
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Daniel
>>> I love ikiwiki, and there is branchable [1].
>>>
>>> [1] https://www.branchable.com/
>> The fees there - $9.99 per month - are actually quite expensive in some
>> of the countries where we attract students and interns
>>
>> I'm going to a hackathon event this weekend where there will be 25
>> students and it would be great if all 25 start a blog but if they need
>> to get out their credit card, I suspect some will be reluctant to try it.
>>
>> Are there similar options without cost?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Daniel
> Well, at least I am glad cost is the first issue you have with using
> branchable.com. There is ikiwiki-hosting at Debian, so setting up
> something that allows all those 25 to use a single cheap VPS host should
> not be a year's work. I have no idea how simple it is, but I understand
> you don't have time for that, and it's something that you need to be
> maintained and involve some money cost.
>
> Still, there is the first free month, and then you can test how the
> migration really works out.
>
> Also, http://www.branchable.com/news/free_hosting_for_Free_Software/.

Good in principle but the process they describe looks a little bit
complicated.

> The other way of thinking about it is: what is the sustaining model for
> a "free" hosting?

Whatever it is, it probably needs to involve bringing together a range
of services into a single package, giving a lengthy free trial (2-3
years) for students and potentially being helped by subsidies from some
of the non-profit organizations.

Regards,

Daniel